Skip to main content

Parent Involvement in Science


According to the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), the active participation of parents in children’s learning is critical to their children’s learning ability in Science. 

Research shows when parents actively support their children's learning, their children attain bigger achievement as learners. Parents need to guide their children's learning at home, school and in the community. Teachers also play a significant part as partners in children's Science learning (NSTA, 2013).

Daily home activities are full of opportunities that support thinking. These activities include cooking, playing games, doing simple projects, finding materials to bring to school and exploring the lives of living creatures and plants are opportunities for fun and discovery (Lind, 2000).



Joyce Epstein developed a framework for effective family, school and community collaboration. 

1. Give information
The educator gives families information about parenting, child development and different strategies to support children’s growth and learning (Feeney et al., 2010). 

NSTA recommends the parents to build a positive and safe home environment for exploration and discovery. It is helpful to nurture children’s creativity, critical thinking, problem solving and resourcefulness through daily household activities. The parents can give their children Science resource materials like books, educational toys and games, videos and online resources (NSTA, 2013).

2. Communicate effectively 
The educator implements practice that supports an effective communication between the home and the school (Feeney et al., 2010). 

A monthly newsletter of events and activities can be informative to parents. Children can contribute by describing their experiences in their artwork (Lind, 2000). The parents need to communicate to their children and the educators to learn more about their children’s Science learning opportunities and performance. They need to motivate their children to get involved in extracurricular activities focused on Science and Technology like clubs, field trips, after-school programs and Science research competitions (NSTA, 2013).

3. Volunteer 
The educators allow the family members to be volunteers (Feeney et al., 2010). 

Family members can volunteer to help in Science activities in the class or in field trips. Occasionally, there need to be an open invitation for family members to visit school (Lind, 2000).



4. Share strategies
The educators share their thoughts about different strategies that can help families to facilitate the child’s home learning (Feeney et al., 2010). 

Homework must be an extension of school. It can be bringing some materials to school, doing a project,getting information from a newspaper, magazine or reference book. Placing together small kits of materials to be taken home for two or three days. It contains materials and directions for a home activity for the children to return a report on the result along with the kit (Lind, 2000).

5. Be involved
Families must be involved in school governance that affects the policy of the school (Feeney et al., 2010). 

The parents should be well-informed about the Science program at school. They can get involved with the school board to make sure that Science learning is a priority in the school and that appropriate resources are available (NSTA, 2013).

6. Collaborate with the community
Allow families to collaborate with community resources such as involving the community in school programs and let the children’s activities be significant with the community. Families and early childhood educators aim a mutual objective which is to educate and care for children and to support their optimal development (Feeney et al., 2010). 



The parents can give Science learning opportunities to their children at home and in the community through outdoor play, summer programs and trips to Science-rich places in the community (NSTA, 2013).

Parental involvement in the children’s Science learning helps the children to achieve success as active learners. Parents need to facilitate their children’s learning at home, in school and in the community. Daily household chores can be learning opportunities for children to learn Science. A safe and healthy home environment for exploration and discovery is also important. 

Educators should also provide the parents and children home learning activities that they can do together. A good communication system between the home and school is significant to inform parents about updates on activities, events and Science learning opportunities in school and in the community.


References:
Feeney, S., Moravcik, E., Nolte, S., Christensen, D. (2010). Who am I in the lives of children? An introduction to Early Childhood Education (8thed.). New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc.
Lind, K. (2000). Exploring Science in Early Childhood Education (3rded.). NY: Delmar Thomson Learning.
National Science Teachers Association (2013). Parent Involvement in Science Learning. Retrieved on August 8, 2013 from http://www.nsta.org/about/positions/parents.aspx

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Brofenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory and Child Development

In the situated cognition theory, it stresses that learning cannot be analysed in isolation and it is a part of a context (Bartlett, Burton, Peim, 2006).  Urie Brofenbrenner developed the ecological systems theory that emphasizes the significance of a child’s role in his or her environment (Charlesworth, 2004). A child evokes responses from the environment which affects his or her own development (Schickedanz, Schickedanz, Forsyth, Forsyth, 2001).  In Brofenbrenner’s model, the child is at the centre of a five-layer system wherein each layer symbolizes a different perspective of the environment and each having a huge influence on a child’s growth and development (Keenan, Evans, 2009).  Ecological Systems Theory The  microsystem  includes the child’s relationship to home, school, neighbourhood, friends and church.  The  mesosystem  comprises the child’s interactions and relationships between the home, school, church, ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Parent Involvement in Physical Education

Parent or family involvement is a process of allowing parents and family members to use their knowledge and skills for the benefit of themselves, their children and the school. The home is the child’s first school. Whatever occurs at home influences the child’s learning and development.  The teacher’s role is to assist parents by letting them learn about child development, giving them meaningful activities that they can use to teach their children at home and providing them support as the child’s first teachers. Supporting parents and family members to become better people is beneficial for children and it also helps them to be successful in school and life (Morrison, 2003). 1. Participate Family members who are involved in their children’s education can collaborate with the children, involve other families to classroom participation, give useful input in program policy and strengthen the relationship of the whole community.  They provide knowledge and materia...
Post a Comment
Read more

Handling Aggressive Emotional Behaviour on Children

Handling emotions is an essential part of dealing with children.   Teachers have an important role to prepare relevant learning experiences and opportunities for the children to apply their skills in social interaction, goal setting and self-discipline (Vialle, Lysaght, Verenikina, 2000). Children have unique experiences, emotional reactions and behaviours. Adults should always be ready to act appropriately.  Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand, manage and assess emotions   (Cherry, 2012).  According to Goleman, there are five domains of emotional intelligence: 1. Recognizing one’s emotions  2. Handling emotions accordingly 3. Motivating one’s self through emotional self-control such as delaying gratification and preventing impulsiveness 4. Empathizing with others 5. Dealing with relationships Children need to communicate their emotions properly because this capability creates self-esteem, leadership and int...
Post a Comment
Read more